THE WINE FRONT

When Nigel Dolan left Saltram shortly before the 2008 vintage there were two immediate questions: why, and where's he going? The first question may not have been answered but the second now has: Wyndham Estate has appointed Nigel Dolan as Chief Winemaker.

Nigel is one of Australia ’s most awarded winemakers. During his stellar career he has been named Barossa Winemaker of the Year, South Australian Red Winemaker of the Year and was a finalist in the Qantas Australian Winemaker of the Year. He has also won Australian wine’s most coveted prize, the Jimmy Watson Trophy, on two occasions - in 1992 and 2003.

“The Wyndham Estate team has an increasing focus on premium Shiraz and it will come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that Shiraz has always been at the core of my winemaking passion,” Dolan said.

“While my home has been the Barossa, over the past decade I have been responsible for Shiraz styles from Great Western, Glenrowan, Bendigo, the Hunter, and of course every region in South Australia.

“It is Shiraz ’s great adaptability and regional nuance that makes it a great canvas to work with – and this role gives me the creative and directive freedom to explore all sorts of opportunities.”

One interesting aside to all this is that Saltram 8th Maker Shiraz - named after Nigel Dolan - will not be produced post the 2007 vintage. 

Somehow this slipped through the net when it came in so - a year and a bit late - here's my review. Leaving it for a year turns out to have been a pretty good idea. It's a sturdy, slightly oaky wine with lots of dry, clean, ripe tannin - this is going to cellar for a good long time. It tates of dark cherries and rose petals and is slippery with cedary, toasty oak. There's also a touch of sappy/stalky character, but as a complexing agent rather than as anything too dominant. I reckon this is a really good pinot - and one that will be even better in five years time. Drink: 2011-2018. 94 points.

A set of awards were announced in the Hunter Valley last night ... 

Hunter Valley Living Legend: Brian McGuigan AM

Brian McGuigan joins the six founding “Legends”, selected for having made a significant contribution to the success and welfare of the Hunter Valley wine industry.

Brian joins his father Perc McGuigan on the honour roll. Brian has been at the forefront of the Australian wine industry for more than 40 years and is one of the wine industry’s most versatile and well-known figures, utilising his skills as a winemaker, viticulturist, marketer and communications specialist to take his wines and his love of the Hunter Valley, all over Australia and around the world.

In 1968, Perc McGuigan first established Wyndham Estate, Brian took over as Managing Director in 1970, and alongside wife Fay, built it up to be one of Australia’s most recognisable wine businesses. After selling the Wyndham Estate group of companies the team went on to set up the equally successful McGuigan Wines in 1992. He has since built the company from scratch to a 1.2 million case business per year – in 10 years. 

Winemaker of the Year: Andrew Thomas, Thomas Wines.

Finalists: Jim Chatto, Phil Ryan

Andrew “Thommo” Thomas began his journey as a winemaker at Tyrrell’s Vineyards, where he worked under the watchful guidance of the great Murray Tyrrell for 13 years, developing a passion for the Hunter Valley and true Hunter Valley wine styles.

In 1997 Thomas Wines was born, specialising in semillon and shiraz that have won numerous trophies and gold medals at major wine shows throughout Australia. Thommo also runs a successful contract winemaking business.

Rising Star of the Year: Usher Tinkler, Pooles Rock

Finalists: Daniel Binet, Will Rickard-Bell

One of the dynamic young figures in the Hunter Valley, Usher Tinkler is the Winemaker for Poole’s Rock Wines with responsibility for the company’s flagship wines.

The Tinkler name is well known in the Hunter Valley where three generations of Usher’s family have been vitally involved in the wine industry. Usher is succeeding in making his own stamp with his wines and was the 2007 Wine Society Young Winemaker of the Year and also was a 2007 scholar in the prestigious Len Evans Tutorial.

Viticulturist of the Year: Ken Bray, Hunter Valley Vineyard Management

Finalists: Keith Barry, Cliff Currie, Brett Keeping

Often overlooked in favour of the ‘rock star’ winemaker, the viticulturist is often a region’s greatest asset yet unsung hero. Widely regarded as the Hunter Valley’s leading viticulturist, Ken has been responsible for tending some of the region’s most cherished vineyards for almost 40 years. As owner and director of Hunter Vineyard Management Services and a committee member of the Hunter Valley Vineyard Association (HVVA) Ken has been in the Hunter Valley since starting with Wyndham Estate on 1^st April 1970.

Cellar Door of the Year: McWilliams Mount Pleasant

Finalists: Audrey Wilkinson, Brokenwood, Margan Family Wines

Mount Pleasant is one of the Hunter’s oldest, most acclaimed and best loved wineries. In 1921, legendary winemaker Maurice O’Shea purchased and extended the 16.3ha property and named it Mount Pleasant, after the peak that rises behind the winery.
Today, Mount Pleasant keeps alive the pioneering spirit of its heritage. The Mount Pleasant Wine and Food Estate, opened in 1997, has become one of the Hunter Valley’s most popular tourist destinations, comprising the cellar door, 140-seat function room, tasting rooms, gift shop and café.

Note: The 2007 Hunter Valley Living Legends were:

Max Drayton, Dr Max Lake, Karl Stockhausen, Percival McGuigan, John Tulloch and Brian Walsh.

The trustees of the international Geoffrey Roberts Award are now seeking applications for their annual travel award worth £3,000 or US$6,000. Who do you know with an inspiring plan to spend that amount on a journey that will make a difference to the worlds of food and/or drink?

Applicants can be any age or nationality and can go anywhere, just so long as their plan impresses the judges. One of last year’s joint winners, for example, was Florida geography teacher Richard Villadoniga who went on a road trip around the United States on a mission to raise awareness of endangered American foodstuffs. His tour and subsequent writings on such delights as Bloody Butcher pre-colonial corn can be followed at www.eat-american.com. He now writes on traditional American foods for no fewer than four publications and adds: “ I have also started a local chapter of Slow Food, the international organization that protects biodiversity in the food supply and promotes food education and traditional methods of food production that are good, clean, and fair. We already have over 80 people on our email list in just a few months and there is great interest on a number of local projects to help protect the agricultural fabric of our community. My project (along with the Geoffrey Roberts Award) will be featured in this year's Florida Society of Geographers conference”.

The other winner Jock Brandis is also American, by coincidence, and his money has been spent in rural communities in Southern Sudan where the Universal Nut Sheller, a simple machine designed by Jock’s Full Belly Project that needs no energy other than manpower, has helped villagers there to add value to their most significant crop.

To apply for the 2008 Award visit www.geoffreyrobertsaward.com, fill in the online application form and send it to geoffreyrobertsa@aol.com by 31 March, 2008 . The winner will be chosen by the usual distinguished panel of judges including Neville Abraham CBE, Sally Clarke of Clarke’s restaurant in London , food writer Jill Dupleix, wine merchant Willie Lebus, food writer Nicholas Lander and wine writer Jancis Robinson. The winners will be informed by the end of May 2008.

The Award is financed by a charitable trust established in 1996 in memory of the UK ’s pioneer importer of non European wines. For more information contact geoffreyrobertsa@aol.com . Media queries to Jancis@jancisrobinson.com

Hunter Valley winery Drayton’s Family Wines is back open following the explosion on 17 January that killed fifth generation winemaker Trevor Drayton.

The temporary cellar door, located at the winery in Pokolbin, was opened at the weekend, and family member, John Drayton, has already been overwhelmed by the response: 'In the past few weeks we have been overcome by the community spirit in the Hunter Valley. Many of our grapes are being picked and processed by other wineries but luckily, under the guidance of our father Max and his 60 years of experience, we are processing many of our reds on-site. We are also seeing our loyal customers, and new ones, wanting to be a part of our re-building process by purchasing our wine.

'It’s been tough, but the Drayton family are Hunter Valley pioneers and we will survive.'

John Drayton also reported that Drayton's assistant winemaker, Will Rikard Bell, who sustained extensive burns in the explosion, continues to improve despite the rigors of extensive skin grafts. 'We are hopeful that he will return to Drayton's and continue the job that he was doing so well.'

Drayton’s Family Wines is at:
Oakey Creek Road, Pokolbin
(02) 4998 7513
The opening hours of the temporary cellar door are: 10-5pm